In gas turbine engines and other applications, it is not uncommon for an assembly to require the use of a blind fastener, where access to a fastener is obstructed by surrounding structure with little room in which to maneuver. In these situations, the fastener may only be accessed by a tool and direct observation of the fastener is not possible during removal, nor is there room for the tool to withdraw the fastener after it has been backed out of the threaded surface with which it was engaged. The inability to withdraw the unfastened fastener may hinder further disassembly of the structure. Improvements in this area are therefore needed.